Scribes and Pharisees

Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, 2they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. 3(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; 4and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) 5So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; 7in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ 8You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”(Mark 7:1-8, NRSV)

When we do things to be seen for doing something that is not what God called us to.

God knows the intentions of our hearts and knows why we do the things we do.

We may think that we will be rewarded for doing good deeds, but good deeds don’t matter. God’s grace is what is needed for life with God, and our deeds are clanging cymbals and empty promises.

God knows your heart and will not see actions that hold no love.

Who Rules the Sea?

5Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
6For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome above all that are around him?
8O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
10You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.
(Psalm 89:5-11, NRSV)

Who is like God?

God created everything and is in control of everything.

God created you and can control your life. Will you let God?

Walking on Water

45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. 49But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 51Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. 53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:45-56, NRSV)

A ghost walking on the water is scary enough. But it really is what Jesus says on the water that should make us afraid.

The translation is, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” but the actual Greek text says, “Be confident, I am, do not fear.”

Jesus said I am. I am is the name of God God gave to Moses at the bush. Jesus just claimed to be God. If the ghost on the water isn’t enough now this guy we are following thinks he is God.

It is one of the most frightening and comforting statements in the Bible. Jesus knows who he is and he is trying to help them and us understand.

Trust and believe.

Feeding the Multitudes

35When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 37But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42And all ate and were filled; 43and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men. (Mark 6:35-44, NRSV)

When faced with an issue that seems impossible Jesus does what any good manager would, hand the issue back to those who brought it up. Jesus was told we need to tell these people to go so they can an go to the surrounding villages and get food. And Jesus says, “You give them food.” You feed them.

We are told everyday to feed the sheep of our Lord and do we?

We live our lives among the world and the things we do shows who we follow and what we believe. So do our actions feed the sheep?

Jesus calls us to the impossible because through Him it is possible.

Are you ready to feed them?

Jesus Seeks Time Away

30The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:30-34, NRSV)

Jesus told the disciples to come away with him to a deserted place so they could rest. Jesus wants us to rest. God commanded us to rest by remembering the Sabbath and keep it holy.

God rested and Jesus went off to get alone time. We need time alone and time to rest. We can not just go go go. We have to take time for ourselves or we will not be any good for anyone.

Rest. Find solitude.

The Death of John the Baptist

17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:17-29, NRSV)

There is so much weird stuff in this passage.

If you could ask for any thing from the ruler or king up to half of the kingdom, would you ask for the head of a prisoner on a platter? And for the daughter of Herodias, also named Herodias, to listen to her mother when she could have anything…

God uses these stories to help us see the lengths God will go to.

Even when we don’t understand it, God is working.

Never doubt God is working. I know God is always working. I may not always understand it but I know it.

Sending out the 12

7He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. 14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mark 6: 7-16, NRSV)

Jesus gave the disciples the power to do what he had done. What would you do if you could heal the sick and cast out demons?

But with the power came the need to depend on others. They took nothing for these journey and relied on the generosity of those they stayed with.

God will provide for our every need when we’re believe He will.

Do you believe?

A Prophet Comes Home

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” 5And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:1-6, NRSV)

Have you ever gone back to where you grew up and people were like, “whoa, who is this?” This isn’t the person we knew.

People have a hard time when we change and they don’t see it. We don’t believe our eyes and think we know better. We sometimes don’t want to believe something that is different than we knew because we think that makes our past a lie.

But new information means things can change. But through it all Jesus will never change.

Own Understanding

5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
6In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NRSV)

In everything we do we need to trust in God. You see we think we know what is best for us. But really we don’t God has a plan that is so much better than our own.

God’s path is the way we should go. Even when we don’t understand it, or think it is right, it is the way to go.

Trust on God and follow the path in the plan.

Help Comes from the Lord

1I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
2My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
(Psalm 121, NRSV)

Where does my help come from when the mountains are all around me and it seems like this valley will never end?

My help always comes from God, for God never sleeps or slumbers and is always there for me.

God is always there for you.

Trust in that!